


Take Out The Trash- Gray Fullbuster X Reader (Gray POV)

by IsabelleChamomile



Series: Fairy Tail Stuff [2]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anime, Canon - Anime, Chaptered, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fairy Tail Dragon Slayers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Galuna Island Arc, Manga & Anime, Post-Galuna Island Arc, Romance, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:48:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24620353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsabelleChamomile/pseuds/IsabelleChamomile
Summary: A local restaurant owner in Magnolia finds herself in trouble. Gray and his team accept the mission to help her. Little does he know that this chef is capable of stirring up more than just stew.
Relationships: Gray Fullbuster/Reader
Series: Fairy Tail Stuff [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1760230
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	1. Sous Chef

**Author's Note:**

> And here we are. For those of you guys that don't know, the work posted before this is the same story but in the reader's perspective. As I said before, the scenes where Gray and the reader are together line up perfectly, but you get to see their separate reactions and thoughts. Feel free to check it out. (Same title.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italicized words are inner thoughts.

It’s been about six months since I started dating this local restaurant owner. 

It started with a request that came to the guild. A restaurant made a minor mistake and accidentally printed the wrong deal on a coupon. It was supposed to say, “1 meal for $4.99!!” Instead it said, “11 meals for $4.99!!” 

I cringed as I read the poor grammar on the seemingly harmless and plain paper. I doubly cringed when I noticed that people were actually taking the stupid coupon seriously. 

Anyway, team Natsu was “all fired up” when our idiot leader caught wind of an “emergency”. Even though it was more likely he thought he could get his gluttonous hands on the coupon deal, and of course Lucy was always down to help, especially when a gig was local. 

When we got to the restaurant it was already packed to the point that people had started to file outside. 

Lucy suggested we walk to the kitchen to find the owner, and in a way, it was probably a mistake. 

When we opened the kitchen door we were immediately greeted by a young woman yelling instructions to her staff. Rainbows of sauces were flying around, flour explosions made mushroom clouds, and I’m pretty sure Natsu got smacked in the face with a skillet. 

Lucy nervously called the woman’s name, and when she turned around it felt like I was watching a superhero spin in slow motion as beads of sweat flew off her furrowed brow. 

She was just a regular person, working a regular job, but the determination that burned in her eyes made wizard work seem lame in comparison. 

I was in such awe at this person that I didn’t even realize she had paused to talk to us. 

Her regular speaking voice was sweet to listen to as she gave the three of us our assignments. 

She didn’t hesitate to put Natsu on the grill. She complimented Lucy, and asked if she wouldn’t mind serving and suggested having her spirits help her. However, when she got to me she had a hard look on her face as she placed her finger to her chin. 

I could tell she had no idea where to put me. I furrowed my brow and impatiently crossed my arms as I waited for her to decide. 

I was about to suggest making ice décor or something when she flashed me a smile and declared me her “sous chef”. 

I had no idea what the hell that was, but somehow it didn’t matter to me that I had no experience. Something told me I was about to have one I’d never forget. 

I was absolutely stressed the entire time. Even completing magic missions was less of a pain in the ass than this. Luckily, I had a feeling this woman was going easy on me. 

She only asked for things that even a layman like me could do. Like, handing her simple spices and washing dishes as they piled up. However, I was extremely surprised to find that taking out the trash was the best task she asked me to do that whole day. It felt like I was escaping from a demon’s realm and the dumpster was an oasis in the middle of hell. 

I could tell that she loved this restaurant and its patrons more than life itself, and as scary as she was in the kitchen, she always had a bright smile when talking to customers who complimented her food. I could tell that having us there was a giant load off her back, and she made her appreciation clear as she thanked us all multiple times in passing. 

As the rest of the day finally started to calm down her mood lifted significantly. 

When it was time to close the restaurant, I asked Lucy and Natsu to go home ahead of me. I wanted to make sure that this woman got home safe. It would’ve sucked if something bad happened to her on the way home. 

It felt so frickin’ good to be outside. It was pretty chilly, but I made a conscious effort to not scare her off so my clothes stayed on. 

We walked for a little in silence while I waited for her to say something, but she stayed quiet. I tried to rake my brain to find anything to talk about. Finally, I said, “You know, I never thought that working at a restaurant would be that stressful.” 

She giggled a little as she replied, “Yeah. You caught us on a… bad day. It’s usually really peaceful, but because of that misprint on the coupon, it went to hell fast!” 

_Did she just say that it’s usually peaceful?_ I tried to imagine what _that_ would be like. I imagined her waiting for customers while sitting crisscross applesauce on the kitchen counter as she read Sorcerer Weekly with a smile... _I’d actually like to see that._

I nonchalantly suggested, “I wouldn’t mind helping out again.” 

I felt her glance at me. It was taking her a while to reply and I started to feel a little anxious. I didn’t want her to say no. I mustered up the courage to look at her. 

Her eyes were wide as they sparkled a little in the moonlight and her lips were pressed together like she was holding her breath. It was kinda cute. 

I kept a straight face and plainly asked, “What?” 

She snapped out of her little daze and asked, “Why would you want to help again? I mean, don’t you wizards have more important things to do?” 

I had to stop walking as I desperately tried to find an answer that wasn’t lame. I wish I could say that it was because I wanted to spend more time with her and that I enjoyed watching her work, but yeah right. I couldn’t even find the words to tell her that there was no reason so I smirked at her and shrugged. 

She seemed nervous as she stated, “Um… W-well, I guess you’re welcome to help if you really want to… I can’t really pay you like I did today though…” 

Irritated that I didn’t give her a proper answer, I shoved my hands in my coat pockets and started walking again. I said, “You don’t have to pay me much. I’m even okay with just a meal.” 

She followed quietly behind me, mulling over the offer. 

We rounded a corner and she pointed out her house. 

_Well damn, that was short._

I watched her walk up to her doorway. She turned to look at me. Her hair flowed in the wind as a cool breeze blew by. She was seriously really pretty. She began to speak, “Thank you for everything today… Were you… serious about helping out again?” 

_Holy shit, say ‘yes’, dumbass._ I replied with, “Yeah…” 

I noticed her relax as she gently smiled at me, “I’m glad…” 

I felt my heart skip a beat, and panicked. I quickly turned around hoping my face wasn’t red. I cleared my throat as I nervously responded, “I-I can’t promise I can come help too often!” 

I heard her quietly laugh, “That’s okay. I look forward to seeing you when you can. Which I hope is soon…” 

I felt my face get warmer, and I subtly tried using my magic to cool it down. I stayed facing away from her as I muttered, “Yeah.” 

She called out from behind me, “Thank you, Gray Fullbuster. Have a good night, and please be safe.” 

I heard a click as she closed the door behind her. 

My heart was pounding. I let out a huge breath and turned to look at her quaint little house. Now that she wasn’t in front of me, I let my cheeks be warm and I felt a small smile creep on my face as I turned to walk home.


	2. Back For Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After taking her invite back to the restaurant, Gray finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place.

The entire walk home and the next morning at the guild I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I sat at the bar and stared at nothing until Lucy came up to me and asked if I wanted to do a job with her. Of course, I didn’t even realize she was talking to me until she repeated her question. 

I flinched when I finally noticed. She looked a little worried as she asked if I was okay. 

I flatly said, “Honestly, I’m not in the mood to go on a job right now. Maybe tomorrow. Ask Natsu or something.” 

I didn’t even wait for her reply as I walked out of the guild. On the way out, I heard Natsu yelling at me to come back, but I ignored him like usual. I cared even less as I let my feet take me to the restaurant. 

A little wind chime rang as I walked in. The restaurant looked really deserted in comparison to the last time I was here but there she was, wiping a table. She looked up ready to greet a customer, but obviously lit up when she saw me. 

She cheerfully greeted, “Oh, hello, Gray!” 

_Cute._

I felt myself get nervous as she walked up to me. 

“H-Hey,” I started, “I was wondering if you needed any help today.” I scratched the back of my head in a pitiful attempt to look casual. 

She clearly saw through my act. Giggling she said, “When I said, ‘soon’ I didn’t think you’d take it as ‘tomorrow’!” 

The look she was giving me and the way her hand was on her hip was killing me. I felt my face get warmer so I tried the cool approach again and semi-lied, “Y-yeah, well, it’s not like I was planning on coming today. It just so happened that I already had the day off!” 

She stifled a small laugh, “I see. Well, I was hoping to see you sooner rather than later… I-I mean! Because I really needed the trash taken out! Haha!” She was clearly just as nervous to see me, and I was _so_ happy to take out the trash. I put my hand on her head and smiled, “Sure, I’ll take the trash out.” My fingers felt a tingle as I walked past her to head to the kitchen. 

Throughout the next couple months, I found any excuse to go to the restaurant. Of course, I did magic jobs regularly so that I didn’t get bombarded by questions, but even so I went straight to the restaurant if I finished early enough. 

Naturally, the more I went, the more I got to see and know her. I already knew she was a hard worker, but I quickly came to realize she could be really clumsy. Like, one time, she forgot to use a cooking mitt while grabbing a warm sauce ladle and lightly burned herself. Lucky for her, I used my magic to cool it. 

She worried me sometimes. She’d quietly stress on her own so did what I could to help her out. 

Unfortunately, she eventually noticed my stripping habit. It was kinda embarrassing since I had been trying not to do that in front of her, but she would just laugh her cute laugh and let me carry on. I liked being around her, but I didn’t notice how much until I had to go get some brats that left for an S-class mission. 

Apparently, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy took the S-class request to help the residents of Galuna Island, which was pretty far from home. 

I was sitting in the guild hall when I heard Master scolding Laxus to bring their dumb asses back. I was getting pretty annoyed and was about to leave when I heard Gramps say that Laxus was the only one strong enough to bring back his force. I didn’t know if it was me or my pride, but when he said that I stood up and told him that I disagreed. He allowed me to go get them, but before I did, I had to make a stop. 

I went to the restaurant and told her that I was leaving for about a week. I stretched the time a little just in case they already left or in case something happened along the way. Also, I wanted to surprise her if I got back early. 

She had a small pout, and I could tell she was a little worried. Good thing I didn’t tell her that the island I was going to was possibly cursed. She’d definitely freak out. I really didn’t want to leave, but I couldn’t go back on my word. I placed my hand on her head and tried to give her a reassuring smile. Then I was off. 

When I got to the port, I was lucky enough to catch the idiots before they left. I tried telling them to come back to the guild, and I even threatened that Erza would come get them if I didn’t, but that was a dumb decision on my part because I got knocked out and dragged along with them. On our way there, our boat was destroyed so I had no choice but to help them. 

I faced a lot of different things when the mission finally picked up. Turns out the residents were humans that turned into demons because of a “purple moon” that they wanted us to destroy. We got chased down by a giant rat wearing a maid uniform, but nothing prepared me for what I saw at the Temple of the Moon. It was Deliora, the demon of destruction, still frozen in Ur’s Iced Shell. My teacher sacrificed herself to seal this monster away, and here it was cooped up inside the temple. 

I remembered what it felt like seeing that thing towering over me as I slowly walked closer to it. My entire body shook uncontrollably, my eyes burned because I couldn’t blink, and I felt like my words were constricting my throat as Lucy tried to ask what was wrong. My head spun from absolute terror. This monster was what took everything away from me. 

Only later did I find out why it was here. Lyon, my former classmate, was using a spell called Moon Drip to try and resurrect this thing to prove his power. 

I tried to beat some sense into him, but ended up being badly injured instead. Natsu knocked me out to save me from fighting _and_ had to carry my sorry ass back to the village. 

I woke up the next morning, I think. My body hurt like hell. My ego hurt even more. I just wanted to go back to Magnolia. Back to her. But… I couldn’t. I didn’t want Deliora to wreak havoc on anyone else, and there was no telling where it could go after it’s been resurrected. 

Just the thought of it scared the shit out of me. I _had_ to stop Lyon, but there was one thing in my way, and her name was Erza. 

She came because I failed to bring the other three back. She was extremely livid. I tried to reason with her and convince her to stay and help but she wouldn’t budge. I needed to help these people for the sake of the future. Despite the excruciating pain in my body, I walked my ass straight to Lyon. 

On the way, I tried and tried to think of something that would stop him. It was either I went home and left this behind with a hope that Deliora wouldn’t come for us, or I stopped Deliora and… never returned. 

I didn’t want to go home with the guilt of not helping when I knew I could. I wouldn’t dare call myself a Fairy Tail wizard if I did. I also didn’t want to have to live unhappily; always looking over my shoulder in fear of her and everything else being taken away again. There was only one way. 

I tried to convince Lyon to stop this madness one more time before I started to cast Iced Shell. My heart ached, but beat strong as I was determined to save her and the others. 

_I’m so sorry._

_I didn’t even get the chance to tell you how I felt._

_I wish I could’ve come home to you._

_Please understand._

_I promise Fairy Tail will watch over you._

I was prepared to die. 

Natsu, on the other hand, had different plans. He stopped me from finishing the spell in the most annoying way possible, and after I took that punch from him, all the punches Lyon threw were nothing. I beat the ever-loving snot out of him, but it was too late as I heard Deliora’s bloodcurdling roar in its dreadful awakening. 

I was prepared to cast Iced Shell a second time when Natsu got in the way. Again. I was getting really ticked off but was glad he stopped me when he realized that Deliora was completely depleted of power. It crumbled right as Natsu’s fist collided with it. 

There was a strange mix of emotions afterwards and I actually cried for the first time in god knows how long; I couldn’t believe that Ur saved me again and I was able to go home. However, I was ultimately furious at the Tabasco idiot for stealing my thunder! 

When we got to the village afterwards, the demon residents still insisted on us destroying the moon, which was honestly astonishing. But as stupid and impossible as it was, Erza had the balls to try it. 

Only then did we realize the moon wasn’t the issue at all; the residents were actually demons with altered memories. Thinking about it gave me a headache. 

When all was said and done, the village threw us a thank you party where I got bombarded by a bunch of demon chicks. Obviously, I wasn’t interested, but they kept dragging me around and showering me with compliments. None of them actually mattered though because I only accepted compliments from one person, and she was waiting for me at home. 

I didn’t even know how long it had been since we took the mission, but I hoped she was waiting for me anyway. As I rode that sketchy pirate ship back home all I could think about was seeing her and telling her about everything. Including how I felt about her. I guess coming close to death twice really put things into perspective. 

_I think I’m in love with her._

I felt a warm sensation in my stomach and chest after I admitted it to myself, and it just made me want to see her even more. 

The trip home was a long one. When we made it to the guild another incident happened. Someone decided to pull a prank on us and put an enchanted request on the board, and after stupid Natsu read it out loud it switched all our bodies around. We only had half an hour to fix it before I was stuck in Lucy’s body forever. 

_Man, I should’ve just gone to the restaurant first like I said I would, and maybe I could’ve avoided this infuriating situation._

Luckily, Levy showed up and broke the spell in the nick of time. Though it only got me and Lucy switched back. 

_Well, it’s not my problem anymore!_

I ran out of the guild and bolted as fast as my banged-up body could take me. The restaurant closed soon and I wanted to catch her before she left for the night. 

When I got there, I hesitated to walk in. It turns out I’d been gone for a month longer than I planned. 

_So much for over estimating. She probably hates me now._

I at least wanted to tell her I was sorry and that I was in love with her. That way if I actually died next time I wouldn’t die with regrets. 

I took a deep breath as I opened the door. I expected to hear the ring from the tiny wind chime, but was greeted by silence. I heard the faint sound of the blender coming from the kitchen and paused. I called out her name. 

The blender stopped, but no one came out so I called for her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the Galuna Arc wasn't this long, but I extended it for drama purposes.


	3. Disheveled Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gray is happy to return home, but after taking far more time than expected, will our little chef be there to welcome him?

Suddenly, the kitchen door burst open, and there she stood. Eyes and mouth wide, balled up fists, and torso covered in flour; she was absolutely stunning. So stunning that I couldn’t move my feet as she started to walk towards me. She broke into a sprint, and I prepared myself to catch her. 

When she was finally in my arms, I felt her shallow breaths as her hands wildly searched around my bare back and shoulders. 

I still had her in my arms when she pulled away to look at my face. She was frantic, but her face was in awe as she scanned me as if I was just a dream she would wake up from. I felt a little self-conscious as her fingers softly caressed my cheeks and jawline. 

She brushed away my sweaty bangs as her thumb ran across the new scar above my brow and down the bridge of my nose. 

I especially started to blush when her thumb glided across my chapped lips. 

I saw her relax and that’s when I knew: she didn’t hate me. I was so relieved that I closed my eyes, leaned down, and put my forehead against hers. 

Her hands carefully moved to my hair as she let out a shaky breath. Her body shook as she quietly cried. 

An immense amount of guilt washed over me. I felt a knot in my chest and my hands were shaking as I tried my hardest to squeeze out an apology, “I’m sorry. I’m _so_ sorry.” 

Her voice slightly cracked and sounded tired as she responded, “It’s okay… I was so scared, and I waited so long for you to come home.” I couldn’t believe it. All this time, she waited for _me_. 

I squeezed a little tighter and the gesture was returned with a light tug in my hair. I shakily admitted, “I missed you… I was scared too. I thought I wasn’t going to make it back this time around, but I kicked some ass and came back as soon as I could.” 

She sniffled and laughed a little, “I’m just glad you’re back. I was so miserable without you.” 

A nice feeling settled in my body and I couldn’t help but smile and hum at her words. I felt her arms wrap around my neck as she rested her head on my shoulder. I buried my face in her hair as I held her. 

She smelled nice. Like, clean linens and freshly baked bread. I heard her giggle. Curious as to what she could possibly be laughing at in our precious moment, I let out a short, muffled, “hm”. 

She happily sighed, “I accidentally got flour all over you!” And she was right, I could feel it dusted all over my sweaty back and shoulders and in my hair and face. 

I muttered into her hair, “Well, it’s not like I needed a shower or anything.” 

Then she said the most ridiculously comforting thing, “Before you do… can you take out the trash?” 

I couldn’t help but slack my body in her arms as the adorable sentiment overtook me. My heart was pounding, but completely stopped as I heard her whisper, 

“I love you…” 

Everything froze as my mind tried to comprehend what my ears heard. 

_No way._

I pulled my face back to look at her. I needed to know that she actually said it. I bore deep in her eyes trying to find a mistake in her words, and then it hit me… She beat me. This beautiful woman said it first, and _meant_ it. 

I was so overwhelmed with emotion and before I knew it, my lips covered hers. I immediately pulled away, shocked at myself. I was still riding the anxiety train as I closed my eyes and put my forehead against hers. I apologized, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” I lifted my head to look at her as I embarrassingly finished, “I kissed you before getting to say that 

I love you too.” 

I laughed a little, and I felt her hands on my face again. They pulled me closer to hers and this time, she kissed me. 

Her lips were warm and soft and I couldn’t help but indulge in the sensation as I wrapped my arms around her waist. 

We kissed for a while until I felt like I couldn’t breathe, and pulled away just far enough to talk. I was hoping she wouldn’t disappear as I involuntarily whispered, “Don’t leave me.” 

I could feel her warm breath as she whispered back, “I should be the one saying that to you, idiot.” 

I couldn’t help but smile as I hummed in amusement at her smart-ass comment, which she wasn’t wrong for making. 

I felt her thumbs stroke my face as she quietly made a request, “Stay with me tonight…” 

I breathlessly replied, “Okay…” 

After we finally and reluctantly released each other her brow slightly furrowed. I could tell she was looking at my battered self. Her hand gently moved from my chest and down my abs as she took my dirty hand. 

She let out a sad exhale as she asked, “Did you eat yet?” 

I could see she was worried about me. I used my free hand to lift her face, “Hey, it’s not as bad as it looks, okay? I’m already feeling a lot better now that I’m finally home.” 

Her eyes started to tear up a little as she smiled at me. 

I continued, “And to answer your question, no. I haven’t eaten yet, but I’ll eat once I come back.” My heart skipped a beat as I felt her hand flinch and she cast me a worried glance. She thought I was leaving again. 

To clear things up, I lightheartedly said, “I’m not going anywhere too far this time. Just going to drop by my house to pick up some clean clothes and stuff. I have to stop by the guild on the way back to check in though.” 

She relaxed. 

Feeling the sudden urge to try and pick up the mood, I took a lesson from her and teased, “I’ll come right back and I won’t take too long. I promise. I’ll even take a shower at your house to get me here faster.” I finished with a wink. 

She immediately blushed and scrunched her nose in the cutest way possible. She took her free hand and gently pushed me as she playfully rolled her eyes. She then took a lesson from _me_ and tried to act nonchalant, “Fine, whatever! I have to finish up the prep for tomorrow anyway, so I should be done by the time you get back. And when you do, you better tell me about your little escapade, Mr. Skips-work-a-lot!” 

_She’s not getting away with this one._

I took her hand and leaned in for a quick kiss, and as I slowly pulled away, I cheered at myself for thinking of the perfect lame retort, “You got it, Boss.” 

Her face was priceless. I let go of her hands as I smirked proudly at my awesome achievement, and she softly said, “Please be safe.” 

My heart melted as I looked at her caring gaze. I decided to tease her one last time before walking out, “No promises!” 

I walked to my house and shoved some PJs, extra clothes, and toiletries in my bag. I put on my white button up shirt as I quickly headed to the guild. I wanted to make sure that everything went back to normal while I was out and luckily, it did. How did I know? Natsu’s stupid face finally matched his stupid voice and brain. 

He slid across the floor, halting in front of me. Noticing my bag, he unattractively asked, “Are you leaving again?” 

He was the last person I wanted to tell about my whereabouts tonight. So, I curtly responded, “Not really. I just haven’t gotten home yet.” 

He crossed his arms with a mix of skepticism and annoyance on his face. 

I knew he was probably still upset at the fact I almost killed myself twice so in an attempt to get his nose out of my business, I said, “I’m going now, okay?” 

He grunted and turned away as I left the guild.


	4. Comfort Of Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to go to her house! I wonder if anything will happen on their first night together?

I walked into the restaurant expecting those little wind chimes, but frowned when I didn’t hear them again. 

I snooped around a bit and found them carefully placed in the flower pot next to the door. 

_What the hell? They looked like they were put here on purpose._

I picked them up. They made the familiar jingle as I tried putting them back up. 

I flinched when I heard her softly sing my name. I turned and explained, “I noticed they didn’t ring when I came in earlier. Why’d you take ‘em down?” 

She smiled, “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you when we get to my house. You ready?” 

I nodded. I suddenly gasped as I remembered, “I forgot to take out the trash!!!” 

I started to run to the kitchen, but she grabbed my wrist and laughed, “I’ll let it slide this once. Let’s just go home already!” 

I let out a sigh of relief and we headed to her house. 

I told her about everything on the way, and apparently, I was a pretty frickin’ awesome storyteller because she couldn’t stop laughing. 

When we finally got to her house, she unlocked the door, “Make yourself at home, okay?” 

I followed her inside. The house was as charming inside as it was out. The inside was rustic with wood furniture. It wasn’t spotless, but definitely well taken care of. 

I let my eyes wander. There was a large area with a living space on the right and a kitchen and dining area on the left. She continued walking through as she gave me a quick tour of the house. 

Across from the front door, there were three doors next to each other. She opened the one on the left as she said, “This is my room.” 

I peeked in. I didn’t want to look a pervert so I tried to not look too interested. I nodded and moved out of the way. 

She opened the middle door and said, “This is the bathroom. It’s small, but has just enough space for a toilet and shower. If you need the sink, use the one in the kitchen.” 

I especially didn’t want to look excited as I thought about the fact that she showered in here. So, I put on a straight face, nodded, and gave a casual thumbs up. 

She smirked as she went to open the third door. “This is the guest room where you’ll be staying.” 

I stood next to her and peeked in. It was pretty simple. There was a twin bed sandwiched between a dresser and a night stand. Curious, I asked, “You have a guest room? Isn’t that extra rent?” 

She sighed, crossed her arms and leaned on the door frame before responding, “Yeah, my parents got this place for me thinking I’d want a guest room to host sleepovers or whatever. They thought I’d be super popular with a lot of friends when I moved to Magnolia. However, I enjoy keeping to myself, I can afford it because of the restaurant, and it’s good to use for emergencies, like if my employees need a place to crash for a night or two, and for… special occasions.” 

I couldn’t help but hum in satisfaction when she referred to me being here as a “special occasion”. 

I felt her tug my hand as she turned me toward the kitchen and called over her shoulder, “So are you okay with some leftover stew? It’s pretty cold outside, so we can eat it by the fireplace.” 

I wasn’t really a big fan of stew, but if she made it, it was probably really good. I responded, “Sure. That sounds good. I’ll take a shower first, if that’s okay.” 

She nodded as she reached in the fridge. I took my stuff from the table and went to take a shower. 

While I was in there, I looked at all of the shampoo bottles. There weren’t that many, but I was curious to see which product was the one that made her smell like clean laundry. 

_Oh, god. Does this make me a pervert?!_

I quickly put the bottle I was holding down, and opted on picking up my own soap. 

When I was finished, I put on my blue plaid PJ pants, and looked in the mirror. 

I contemplated whether or not I should put a shirt on… 

I grinned as I imagined what her face would look like if I didn’t. The devilish grin grew as I had the brilliant idea of not drying off _and_ adding little ice sprinkles for a glistening effect. 

_Yeah, let’s not._

I draped a towel over my head to attempt being casual. As I walked out, I imagined steam pouring out as I walked in slow motion. 

Clearly, it didn’t happen because her face was not impressed as she turned to me. 

Slightly disappointed, I plopped down on the floor in front of my bowl of stew and took a bite. 

_Shit, this is good._

Right as I put food in my mouth, she asked, “What’s the point of using a towel if you’re still going to be dripping wet?” 

I glanced over at her in disbelief. Partly, because she criticized my attempt at Extreme Sexy Overload: Glistening Edition Mark II, and secondly, because she asked me a question with perfect waitress timing. 

She got up from the couch and sat behind me. I kept shoveling food into my mouth as I desperately tried to cover my nerves. 

I felt her start to rub circles to dry my hair. I continued to eat. 

The towel started to move down to my shoulders and back. 

_Man, this turned out WAY better than I planned._

I relished in the feeling of her light massages, and I tilted my head to the side as her arms draped themselves on my shoulders. 

My stomach did a somersault as I felt her gently place her lips on the nape of my neck. 

She then looked up at me and innocently asked, “So, what do you do about your hair? Just leave it?” 

I glanced back at her as I became self-aware of my uneventful hair routine. I replied, “Well, yeah. It’s not like I style it or anything. I just let it do what it wants” and shoveled more stew in my mouth. 

I felt her run her fingers in my damp hair, and I thought that maybe she didn’t like that. So, I quietly offered, “I can brush it if you want…” 

She stood up behind me. 

_Oh, shit. What happened?_ I hurriedly thought. 

But the panic was quickly settled as she gave the top of my head a little kiss. She sat on the floor in front of her bowl and smiled, “You don’t have to. I like your hair how it is. It’s very… Gray Fullbuster.” She winked at me before she took a spoonful of her own stew. 

I irked as my face flush. 

_THIS GIRL. SHE STOLE THAT TRICK FROM ME._

I cleared my throat and immediately decided I was done eating. I got up to take my bowl to the sink and I could’ve sworn she had a smug look on her face as I left. 

I was so flustered that I came up with my own plan to get back at her. Oh, and it was brilliant. I knew that Lucy hated when I did this so it was bound to work on her, and if my calculations were correct, things would go smoothly. 

I shut off the sink after I cleaned my bowl, dried my hands, and prepared. I trotted to the couch behind her and hauled my ass over the back of it. 

I landed with a not-so-graceful _FWUMP!_ And just as expected, she turned around to scold me. 

Unlucky for her, I already put my face near her to stop her dead in her tracks. I put on my best blank face as I flatly demanded, “Hurry up and finish.” 

You know, sometimes I amaze myself because that whole thing happened _exactly_ how I imagined it. 

Her eyes widened right before her pink face pouted. She turned away to continue eating. As I got myself comfy on the couch, I heard her mutter, “Don’t tell me what to do.” 

A smile of victory danced on my face right before I closed my eyes. I didn’t plan to fall asleep, but I did. 

The next thing I knew, I felt something tickle my chest where my tattoo was. It was shortly followed by her sweet voice singing my name again. 

I was so exhausted that my body didn’t move as I weakly whispered, “Yeah?” 

She whispered back, “It’s time for bed.” 

My hand made its way to her hand on my chest and I brought it up to kiss her fingers. I didn’t want to go to sleep. I wanted to spend more time with her, but my body betrayed me and my feet eventually dragged themselves to the guest room. 

I opened the door, put on my white sleep shirt, and my body gave out as I belly flopped onto the bed. It was so comfy as I nuzzled my face into the cool, clean smelling pillow. 

I felt her move my legs to get the comforter from out of underneath me. An immediate rush of sleepiness washed over me as she covered me and gave me a kiss on the back of my head. 

She quietly said goodnight. The last thing I remember was hearing the door shut behind her. 

I didn’t know what time it was, but the moonlight and darkness told me that it must’ve been the middle of the night when I heard something come into the room. 

I stretched a little, turned toward the soft noise, and slightly opened my heavy eye lids. 

She timidly stood by the door like she just had a nightmare. It was too damn early for her to be this cute. 

I tried giving her a smile, which I was pretty sure ended up being a stupid grin, and held my arms out to welcome her into my bed. 

I scooched over to give her a little more room as she climbed into my arms. 

Her arm snaked around my waist as she burrowed her face into my chest. 

A little worried, I asked, “You okay?” 

She nodded, “M-hm.” 

She took a deep breath and relaxed into me. My stupid brain finally understood what was happening and woke up. I grunted at the realization. 

I felt her look up at me as she asked, “What?” 

I admitted, “Now, I can’t sleep.” 

She started to reply in an attempt to tease me again, “I can go back to my r--“, but I cut her off with an obnoxiously loud and whiny groan. 

Her leaving was the last thing I wanted. Squeezing her, I locked her in place, and in an equally obnoxious retort, she sighed, “Fiiiiine.” 

I couldn’t contain my smile as I drew out a long exhale in fulfillment. 

Another quiet moment passed as I realized my heart was slamming against my ribcage. I was in such awe at what this woman was doing to me that I didn’t know I was saying things aloud, “My heart is beating so fast.” 

I didn’t know she was still awake until she nervously replied with, “M-mine is too.” 

I couldn’t take this shit. She was just so damn cute. 

I took a moment, and let her go as I laid on my back. I turned my face away from her and rested the back of my wrist over my eyes to stop my head from spinning. 

Her arm slightly moved around my waist and her fingers gently grazed my cheek. I suddenly felt a warm dampness on my shirt and I immediately spun my face around. 

Her hand that was now on my chest clenched at my shirt as I watched her squeeze her eyes shut and quietly shake. 

_What happened?_ I almost asked her, but she started to talk instead. 

Her voice cracked and shook as she said, “I was so worried… I waited and hoped and prayed you were still alive… I had no idea what to think or feel while you were away… I even took those stupid wind chimes down, because I got upset every time they rang and it wasn’t you! ... I knew that I missed you so much, and in missing you, I realized…” She looked up at me with sparkling, tearful eyes, and as I held my breath, she finished her thought, “that I’m in love with you, Gray Fullbuster…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, nasties. We get steamy in the next one, alright? Sheesh, honestly...


	5. Can't Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tension is high when you're separated from such a fresh love.

I felt my spirit soar into the heavens as I let my impulses take over. 

I turned to her, wiped her tears, and kissed her. 

I didn’t want to stop this time. I kissed her a few more times as I hungered for more. We needed to get closer ASAP. 

I moved my hand to her upper back to pull her in deeper, and as I did, I felt the hand on my chest move past my neck and into my hair. 

I loved the way her hands felt every time she did that. 

Our kisses started to become more passionate, but she still wasn’t close enough. 

I moved my hand from in between her shoulder blades to the bend in her back. I pulled in, and thank god I did because that hand suddenly felt the softest and warmest feeling as her shirt slightly lifted up. 

My hand got greedy as I craved to feel more of her skin. I grazed at the line of her shirt with my fingertips. 

She must’ve been ticklish because the hands that were in my hair tugged. 

It made my heart and kisses accelerate, but still, she wasn’t close enough. 

I closed the distance even more as my lips started to get curious. 

I started to kiss a trail from her mouth, and as I passed her soft cheek, I propped myself up on one elbow to get a better reach as I made my way down to her neck. 

She was so warm, and her scent washed over me as I took it all in. 

The hand that was touching her soft skin started to get curious as well. It slowly moved around her waist, up her shirt, but stopped as I felt her bra on my thumb and index finger. 

I trailed my kisses back to her mouth. I loved kissing her so much that I couldn’t stop. My heart skipped a beat as I noticed she didn’t seem to want to stop either. 

The thought excited me, and my hand that was on her rib reflexively twitched. What happened next, was the most unexpected and interesting thing. Apparently, she was _really_ ticklish. So ticklish that when my hand twitched, her teeth gently took a hold of my bottom lip. 

Look, she wasn’t my first kiss or anything, but I’d be damned if I didn’t admit that she was the best kiss I’d ever had. 

That move was so damn sexy, and what made it better was that it was a total accident. 

_Clumsy as always._

As she slowly let go of my lip, I smiled in approval. 

I started to get really excited over how hot and heavy we were getting. I wanted more. 

I moved my body on top of her as I continued kissing… and kissing. 

She started to slightly pull away from me to try and talk, but my greed needed more. 

I kept kissing her as she said my name into my mouth, “G-gray…” 

My god, her voice was silk. 

I continued to kiss her as I managed to pant out a “Yeah?” 

She tried talking again as I kept stealing kisses, “Gray…” 

I was conflicted. I wanted to hear her voice again, but I also wanted to keep going farther. 

I asked a little breathlessly as I continued kissing her, “What is it?” 

Her hands grabbed my face and she gave me a long, hard kiss. She released the kiss and I looked down at her. 

She was _so_ beautiful. 

Her eyes were half-lidded and sparkly and she had an expression that showed absolute euphoria. Her face was also completely flushed. Then it hit me. 

This was probably her first time. She was probably nervous. I could feel her getting a little self-conscious as she stared at me a little longer. 

I gently asked, “Not ready?” 

She wasn’t. 

Her thumbs caressed my warm cheeks, and my notion was confirmed as she carefully shook her head. 

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and smiled as I rested my forehead on hers. When I did, I honestly thought to myself, 

_It’s okay._

_This is fine._

_I want to be with her._

_I love her so much and she is the only person I want to kiss ever again._

Even with my forehead still resting on her, I noticed she was patiently waiting for my reaction, so I said, “That’s okay… You let me know when you are… okay?” 

I felt her nod and she quietly replied, “M-hm.” 

I lifted my face to take another look at the perfect person beneath me. 

_She has no idea what she does to me. I_ really _want to keep kissing her though._

I firmly stated, "In the meantime, I want to make out. A lot.” 

Her eyes twinkled like stars as she laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck to bring me in for another, very much welcomed, kiss. 

Since then, she’s fulfilled my request. Many, many times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it; NOT smut LMFAO. Like I mentioned before, I'm not very good at writing smut so you'll rarely see it on here.
> 
> This was my second fanfic I ever wrote. So, my writing style has changed a lot within the 4 or 5 years since I wrote this. Please look forward to more of my stuff. Got a lot of fics on their way, and not just from the Fairy Tail fandom either! In fact, these 2 were the only Fairy Tail ones I've written so far. Can't wait to show you guys after I proof them.


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